A Method of Making Conforming Clothes Using Poser4, Anim8or and UVMapper.Part 1 - The Basic Figure This is the technique I've used to make the conforming clothes on the Fast and Furious website. I don't claim it to be the best, or possibly the easiest, but it does appear to work - and be within the limits of us folks with only modest abilities! I am going to assume that the reader of this tutorial has only a basic knowledge of the software packages - so please forgive any "obviousness" in my style. I would also be grateful if more experienced users would comment on my methods - "crumbs, that's a long winded way of doing that simple process" - and suggest an alternative. For the purpose of this tutorial we're going to begin the process of making some "stylish" Victorian pyjamas for Lady Peefore Nudi-Wumin.
Because it's much easier for the beginner to modify existing meshes than make completely new ones from scratch that's the approach we'll take here. If you've got a full installation of Poser you'll have a huge junk yard of under-used meshes on your hard drive. For this project we'll use the Biker Shorts from the Clothing - Female library.
So let's begin.. We'll start by setting up Poser for ease of use - in my opinion! This assumes you're using a 17" screen - if not only minor changes will be necessary.
Selecting the meshes. In order to get the meshes into Anim8or we have to export them in a non-obvious way. This involves using the Grouping Tool.
Note.. I've had only limited success exporting the meshes directly... when re-imported to Poser, and made body parts, the finished clothing often exhibits hairline cracks on the joints... the following method avoids this. The Grouping Tool is quite intimidating to use for the beginner. However, once you get used to how it works you will grow to really appreciate it's potential. Here we'll use its most basic functions. Select the hip of the shorts. IMPORTANT - Get into the habit now of using the Document Window menu or the Hierarchy Editor to select the figure parts - rather than clicking directly on the Document Window. This will become very important later on. With the Grouping Tool selected your screen should appear similar to this...
In the Group Edit window select New Group...
In the Set Name window press OK ... the default name is fine for this project.
In the Group Edit window select Add All
Your Document Window should look like this...
In the Group Edit window select Create New Prop...
In the Set Name window type h for hip! And press OK
If you look in the Hierarchy Editor you should see the new prop.
Using this window.. if you slowly click twice - to be sure - on the hand symbol next to Left Thigh you'll be ready to run through the above sequence to make the Left Thigh prop... lt. ... Then the Right Thigh prop... rt. ... If you look in the Hierarchy Editor you should now see...
That's finished with the Grouping Tool for now. Exporting... Now we'll export the props - our meshes - so that we can modify and add to them. So now do this...
and you'll probably see this...
Make sure Single frame is selected an press OK. Then this appears...
De-select the Universe - everything - then select h. IMPORTANT only h should be selected at this stage. Then press OK. Now you'll see this...
Change the file name to h.obj, and the folder to that you made earlier. Now press Save. The following box will appear...
Use the default settings as shown and press OK. --- Repeat this sequence for the other 2 props calling them lt.obj and rt.obj. Using Anim8or to modify the meshes... Launch Anim8or and select a new file...
To prepare for editing I like the interface like this...
The Ortho view is of greater use at this stage than the perspective. Next, load the lt.obj file...
...
and press Open. The mesh will probably be too small to see so click 1 then 2...
and all will be revealed...
Now would be a good time to save the file as lt.an8 ... save in the folder you made earlier ... good housekeeping! Select the word Front on the top left hand view and then select...
1View Lady Peefore likes her pyjamas to be loose on the legs so that will be our editing job. Select 1 then 2 ... the mesh intersection points will be seen, and we're ready to select the ones we want...
Press the left mouse button and drag to select. If you press this button again you will de-select everything. Press the right mouse button and drag to select more. Hold down the Alt key and press the right mouse button and drag to de-select. The more you use it the easier it becomes! Also by using the undo / re-do functions any mistakes should not be fatal.
Here are the points to select - no need to be too exact...
To give greater fullness to the garment in this area we'll increase the distance between all the selected points... re-scale the area. So click here...
Now for the fun bit! ... so don't panic when things start looking strange... Press the left mouse button and drag up and down - or left and right... impressive or what! Just impart a little fullness - not too much - and release the mouse button. Oh dear! ... not quite what you had in mind.
Unless you want your garment to have turn-ups we'd better fix the mesh! Select the move function...
And using the left mouse button drag down the selected points to near here... For precise movement you can use the keyboards arrow keys.
Beware!! Keep the mesh away from the vertical green axis line or you'll risk joining the left leg to the right leg - causing Lady Peefore to walk with a limp. Save the file at this point - in fact, as always, keep saving! Now make a new file and repeat the whole sequence on the right leg. Exporting back to Poser. When both legs appear similar we can export the modified meshes back into Poser and view the results... To export the left thigh mesh...
Repeat for the right thigh mesh and save as 2rt.obj. Don't bother with the hip mesh for now. Go back to Poser and select File / Import / Wavefront OBJ... Select the 2lt.obj file. This box will appear...
De-select everything apart from Make polygon normals consistent.. even this may not be required? **These settings will ensure that the imported part is located in exactly the right position for the prop replacement process. This is why it's recommended that you select the figure parts using the various Poser menus - not directly with the mouse, when it is all to easy to slightly move the figure part causing a future import misalignment - often impossible to correct even using the adjustment dials. Repeat the import sequence for the 2rt.obj. Poser should now appear similar to this...
Now for the figure part replacement. In the Hierarchy Editor select the Left Thigh, then select Object / Replace body part with prop..
Then...
2lt Press OK. Then...
Ignore this for now ... just press OK. Sometimes you may find the garment follows the movement of the body better with bending turned off. Repeat this sequence for the right thigh using 2rt.obj. Now is a good time to turn off the original props... they can be deleted once we are satisfied with our creation.
At this point you may like to save Poser, then save again as a new file name... as we are about to add a figure to wear the garment. Introduce the P4NudeWoman figure and conform our garment to her figure. Use the colour (paint can) tool to evenly tone our garment. You should now have something like this...
Not bad for your first attempt! To be continued... geralday@clara.co.uk |
